COMMUNITY WELLNESS IN THE WORKS is authored by Ms. Cailyn Gilvary, District SELect Leader, and Ms. Tiffany Steiner, Director of Intervention Services and Student Wellness.

THE TIME IS NOW teaches that being vulnerable and facing our fears allows us to reach new goals and dreams. When we analyze the effects our emotions have on our actions, we determine how to best get into the zone before acting. This also allow us to embrace every moment and find the joy in every interaction we have.

4 Key Components in this Mindset include:

• Embrace Every Moment
• Get in The Zone
• Let Yourself be Vulnerable
• Act with Purpose

Can "Getting in the Zone" and "Taking it Easy" live in the same mindset? THE TIME IS NOW is centered on reaching goals and dreams through action, yet actions when exhausted can be counterproductive. Just think of a time when you made a decision after a night of not sleeping. How did it go? Chances are it was not your best decision. Taking care of your health, including relaxing, prepares you to respond effectively when THE TIME IS RIGHT.

The faculty and students of Wall Intermediate School held the 17th Annual “Volley 4 Autism” event on Thursday, April 25th, 2024 at Wall Intermediate School. “Volley 4 Autism” was created in 2007 as a school-wide event to raise awareness and money for Autism. The faculty and students play some friendly games of volleyball while selling food, t-shirts and hosting a gift auction. This year the event raised over $13,000. The school will donate a portion of the proceeds to POAC (Parents of Autistic Children) .

Thank you to all who participated, donated, and ACTED WITH PURPOSE.

Congratulations to the Kindergarteners who won the Penny Wars! Central School collected over 54,000 coins during the Penny Wars Fundraiser! Together, they raised $3,800 during our Live to Give Mindset Month! A portion of that will go to the MCSPCA, and the remainder of the proceeds will go toward completing the Wish List Items at their school.

First graders at Central School wrote and illustrated their plans to make a difference during the "Live to Give" lesson!

Mrs. Panuska’s class created beautiful posters describing the way they would embrace the mindset “Live to Give.”

Ms. Tiffany Steiner and Ms. Cailyn Gilvary presented at the 7 Mindsets Resilient Leadership Summit in Philadelphia on April 11, 2024. They presented as part of the Future Focused Schools Panel on the topic- Educators in Action- Stories of Real-World Resiliency.

“I sincerely appreciate you making the time to come to Philly and share some of your impressive and impactful journey with our community.” Mark Belles, CEO of 7 Mindsets

Next up... Ms. Steiner will present at the 7 Mindsets University Conference this June in Florida. What an amazing way to represent WTPS and our commitment to the 7 Mindsets K-12 SEL Curriculum.

May is Mental Health Month, dedicated to prioritizing our well-being and promoting open conversations about mental health. Dealing with life’s pressures can be overwhelming. Throughout May, WTPS will host various events and initiatives to raise awareness, empowerment, and connection to promote self-care, health, and overall wellness.

K-5 Planned Activities:

• Lessons: THE TIME IS NOW classroom lessons.
• Mindset Monday: Wear an inspirational t-shirt with jeans Mondays in May.
  
• It’s okay to be vulnerable: Grades 3-5 will draw a house with the help of a classmate while blindfolded.
  
• Morning Announcements: Weekly quote to support mental health awareness.
  
• Encouragement Posters: Created by students hung around the school.
  
• Affirmation/Compliment Cards: In classes and throughout the school sticky notes and mini posters with words or love and encouragement.
  

Secondary Planned Activities:

• The below calendars highlight events at WIS and WHS.

THE TIME IS NOW to take control of our HEALTH! If you or a friend needs additional resources, please use this LINK and visit the District Wellness Page. We also invite you to attend Children's Mental Health Awareness Day on May 18th at Allaire Community Farm.

The Wall High School World Language Club and the Crimson Cross Club is organizing a Red Cross Blood Drive at Wall High School on Thursday, May 9. If you are interested in donating, please scan the QR code on the below flyer and select a time slot.

THE TIME IS NOW: Below are just some of the reasons why donating blood is an important offering to others.

According to the Red Cross Organization:

• Donating blood saves lives. A single blood donation can save up to 3 lives.
• Every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood.
• More than 38,000 blood donations are needed every day

Why Vulnerability Is Important

Professor and author Brené Brown suggests that vulnerability is an important measure of courage and that it allows you to be seen and understood by the people who are important in your life. Brown adds that being vulnerable serves as a way to foster authenticity, belongingness, and love.

When you can accept vulnerability, you may find that you experience important emotional benefits such as:

• Greater strength: Putting yourself in situations where you feel vulnerable can boost your confidence and belief in your ability to handle challenging situations. This can make you more resilient in the face of life's difficulties.
• Stronger relationships: Being vulnerable with others can foster intimacy in your relationships. It helps deepen your compassion, empathy, and connection with others in your life.

• Improved self-acceptance: Vulnerability allows you to accept and embrace different aspects of yourself. This can help you build greater confidence and authenticity.

So why do people often fear vulnerability if it's a good thing? Vulnerability is associated with a number of challenging emotional states. For example, it can play a role in disappointment, shame, and grief. The fear of vulnerability is also related to a fear of rejection and a fear of abandonment.

Examples of Vulnerability

What does vulnerability look like? Here are some examples to consider:

1. Taking chances that might lead to rejection
2. Talking about mistakes you have made
3. Sharing personal details that you normally keep private
4. Feeling difficult emotions such as shame, grief, or fear
5. Reconnecting with someone you have fallen out with
6. Being honest about what you need in a relationship, including your boundaries and expectations

In this TEDx talk, Project Reboot founder Dino Ambrosi underscores the importance of spending our time wisely and illustrates how the current generation spends 93% of their free time looking at screens. He questions the consequences of chronic screen time and urges everyone to invest their time in activities that align with their passions.

If you are looking for mental health activities for young children, playing feelings charades can be a good option. It teaches how to understand and express emotions without words. It also encourages communication and empathy, making it easier for yur child to talk about feelings with others.

How to do it:

• Write different emotions on slips of paper (happy, sad, excited, scared, etc.).
• Take turns acting out the emotions without using words.
• Guess each other’s emotions and talk about when you’ve felt that way.